New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Duepetpini’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Duepetpini’, characterized by its upright, rounded and uniform plant habit; freely branching and freely flowering habit; dark pink-colored flowers with dark red “eye” that are positioned above and beyond the leaves; and dark green-colored leaves.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Duepetpini.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duepetpini’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram is to develop New Guinea Impatiens cultivars that have a uniformplant habit and attractive flower colors.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of aproprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code numberA-94-11, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietaryselection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number O-94-3, notpatented, as the male, or pollen parent. The cultivar Duepetpini wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Rheinberg,Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken inRheinberg, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this newImpatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duepetpini’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duepetpini’ as a new and distinct Impatienscultivar:

1. Upright, rounded and uniform plant habit.

2. Freely branching and freely flowering habit.

3. Dark pink-colored flowers with dark red “eye” that are positionedabove and beyond the leaves.

4. Dark green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, the selection A-94-11. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inRheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants ofthe selection A-94-11 in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more compact than plants of theselection A-94-11.

2. Flower color of plants of the new Impatiens was more intense thanflower color of plants of the selection A-94-11.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the maleparent, the selection O-94-3. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inRheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants ofthe selection O-94-3 in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were stronger than plants of theselection O-94-3.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker green leaves than plants ofthe selection O-94-3.

Plants of the new Impatiens are similar to plants of the cultivarBonaire, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,137, in flower color.However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany,plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Bonairein the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more compact than plants of thecultivar Bonaire.

2. Plants of the new Impatiens had smaller leaves than plants of thecultivar Bonaire.

3. Plants of the new Impatiens were more freely flowering than plants ofthe cultivar Bonaire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Impatiens. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Duepetpini’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Duepetpini has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany, under commercial practicein a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were about 16 weeks from cuttingsand were grown in 12-cm containers. During the production of the plants,day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels were about4,500 lux.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 1995, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Duepetpini.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified ascode number A-94-11, not patented.

Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified ascode number O-94-3, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 7 days at 22° C. Winter: About 10days at 22° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 18 days at 22° C.Winter: About 25 days at 22° C.

Root description.—Fine and freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Upright, rounded and uniform plant growth habit;freely branching and flowering habit.

Crop time.—From unrooted cuttings, about 16 weeks are required toproduce finished flowering plants in 12-cm containers.

Plant height.—About 14 cm.

Plant diameter or spread.—About 31 cm.

Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: About seven. Length: About 10 cm.Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 2.7 cm. Color: 59B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite or in whorls. Length: About10.2 cm. Width: About 3.3 cm. Shape: Elliptic to ovate. Apex: Acuminateto apiculate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Serrulate with ciliation. Texture:Smooth, glabrous; leathery. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Young andfully expanded foliage, upper surface: 139A. Young and fully expandedfoliage, lower surface: 59A. Venation: Upper surface: 53A. Lowersurface: 59A. Petiole: Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.Color, upper and lower surfaces: 53A.

Flower description:

Flower type and flowering habit.—Single rounded dark pink-coloredflowers with dark red “eye”. Freely and continuously flowering; usuallyabout six to eight flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowerspositioned above and beyond the foliage and typically face upward oroutward. Petals self-cleaning; gynoecium persistent. Flowers notfragrant.

Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to six days on the plant.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions; in the garden,flowering from spring until fall. Plants begin flowering about eightweeks after planting.

Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 59A.

Flower diameter.—About 6 cm.

Flower depth.—About 1 cm.

Petals.—Quantity: Five per flower, imbricate. Length: About 2.9 cm.Width: About 3.3 cm. Shape: Obcordate. Apex: Notched, lobed. Base:Acute. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture: Smooth; satiny.Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 58B to 58D; colorfading to 67D with subsequent development; “eye”, close to 53A. Whenopening and fully opened, lower surface: 58B 58D.

Spur.—Quantity: One per flower. Length: About 5.3 cm. Diameter: At apex:Less than 1 mm. At flower: About 2.5 mm. Aspect: Curved downward. Color:63A.

Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength:Moderately strong; flexible. Color: 146D.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity/arrangement: Five fusedat anthers, hooded; filaments free. Anther length: About 4.5 mm. Anthershape: Oval. Anther color: Towards base, 155B; towards apex, 61C. Pollenamount: Abundant. Pollen color: 11C. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: One perflower. Pistil length: About 4.5 mm. Stigma color: 61B. Style length:Less than 1 mm. Style color: 145D. Ovary arrangement: Five-celled. Ovarycolor: 200A.

Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not beenobserved to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiensplant named ‘Duepetpini’, as illustrated and described.